When making a meal, Hetbahn instant rice is a staple for many. Hetbahn offers the delicious taste of freshly cooked rice by simply microwaving a packet. Additionally, Hetbahn can be stored at room temperature for a long time, making it convenient for both those who need a one packet for a quick meal and those who want to buy multiple packets in bulk. But its long shelf life raises the question: How can Hetbahn be stored at room temperature for a long period of time without spoiling? CJ Newsroom is exploring the answer to this question.
The Secret to Freshness Without Preservatives
Some might assume that the reason Hetbahn has a long shelf life is because they believe it contains preservatives. Preservatives are food additives that are often used in processed food in order to limit the growth of microorganisms and prevent food from oxidizing or spoiling, prolonging the shelf life in the process. Therefore, because preservatives extend the shelf life of a product, many may believe that Hetbahn also contains preservatives in order to maintain its freshness. However, Hetbahn does not contain any additives or preservatives to prevent spoilage. Instead, Hetbahn uses other technology to prolong its freshness and maintain its quality.
The First Secret to Hetbahn’s Freshness: Cleanroom
The entire process of making Hetbahn, from cooking to packaging, takes place in the “cleanroom.” The cleanroom refers to a space that is kept extremely clean in order to meticulously manufacture instruments such as semiconductors. Since semiconductors are greatly affected even by small things, such as dust particles, keeping the room clean is essential. Certain measures, such as installing High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters at the top of the cleanroom to collect small particles in the air, are taken to create a clean manufacturing environment. Similarly, Hetbahn is made in aseptic packaging facilities similar to semiconductors.
The first step when manufacturing Hetbahn is to put the rice in a clean container and sterilize it completely using high-temperature and high-pressure steam. After that, the rice is cooked with purified water before being completely sealed and packed in the cleanroom.
The Second Secret to Hetbahn’s Freshness: Oxygen Barrier
The second secret behind Hetbahn’s prolonged shelf life is inside its packaging. Although Hetbahn’s container and its cover film look very thin, the packaging is specially designed with three and four multilayer structures for the container and the film respectively. On top of that, there is an oxygen barrier inside the container to prevent the inflow of oxygen into the inner part of Hetbahn, allowing it to stay fresh for a long period of time without being spoiled or oxidized.
Mold in a Sealed Packet of Hetbahn
Hetbahn is a clean and safe food due to measures taken during the manufacturing process, from the manufacturing environment to packaging, to prevent spoilage. Despite of this effort, occasional articles circulate online about instances where Hetbahn has become moldy.
If Hetbahn gets moldy, it usually occurs during the distribution process. This can happen when the oxygen barrier within the cover film gets torn due to a strong external shock. Even a tiny hole punctured while Hetbahn is being transported can cause mold to form. A sharp object can cause the film to tear, allowing fungi to enter the package of Hetbahn and subsequently grow.
If Hetbahn contained any preservatives to prevent spoilage, this would prevent mold from growing even if the packaging became damaged. Therefore, in the rare case that mold is discovered in a packet of Hetbahn, it shows that there are no preservatives used in Hetbahn.
Hetbahn, which became a byword for ‘instant rice product’, was first released in 1996, creating a new domestic instant rice product market as a result. In 2006, CJ CheilJedang began to produce Hetbahn with rice that had been polished within 3 days, and since 2010, the company has been making Hetbahn by using fresh rice that has been polished on the same day of production, upgrading the standard of domestic instant rice products. But CJ CheilJedang still strives tirelessly to research and development new methods to make ready-to-eat and delicious rice.
Hetbahn is leading Korean food culture not only by providing various food products but also by launching new and innovative products such as Hetbahn Cupbahn instant rice meals and Hetbahn Sotbahn multigrain rice. As a leader in the instant rice market, Hetbahn will continue to pursue new ways to make delicious and healthy rice.
